Written by Jim Ziegler

It’s wild to watch people speculate on the TCG market, treating pieces of colorful cardboard like commodities. Just days from the release of Pokémon’s Prismatic Evolutions mini set, retailers across the United States are finding their supply cut by as much as 90%. Meanwhile, other stores have publicly announced that they won’t be carrying the set, as demand is so high that they’re concerned about burglaries.

This isn’t a new trend: scalpers have been buying up entire 151 displays at CostCo despite purchase limits, and many of us witnessed firsthand the shortage of popular items at the Pokémon World Championship in Honolulu, where people were sitting outside the venue selling the exclusive items for multiple times the retail price.

Nor is it limited to Pokémon! One Piece and Lorcana both had famously hard-to-find first sets, since they would sell out immediately only to show up on the resale market with much higher prices, and the infamous businessman who hiked prices on lifesaving medicine for his own profit, Martin Shkreli, started buying up rare Magic cards to try and corner the market for himself.

As tempting as it is to flip products for a quick buck, please consider how bad it is for the health of the game and for the community. One of the biggest draws for the Pokémon TCG recently has been how affordable it is to play. A solid deck in the current meta can be built for well under $100 using the cheapest prints available, whereas a Standard Magic deck is considered budget if it’s under $150. In Modern, the format that Wizards of the Coast is focusing on for competitive play, a competitive deck can easily break $800. 

Players who are interested in playing One Piece or Lorcana in competitive settings aren’t likely to drop hundreds of dollars on a new game, which prevents the player base from growing. It’s far easier to try out an existing game with a lower barrier to entry, like Pokémon, or a brand-new game with a smaller player base, like Star Wars: Unlimited or Neopets: Battledome.

But time and again we’ve seen people driven not by love of the game, but by love of money. As long as these games are profitable, we'll keep seeing product fly off the shelf to be sold back to us at ridiculous prices, and as long as we keep buying those prices will stay up.

IN THE WORLD OF POKÉMON

Pokémon TCG League Challenge

Saturday, 3:00 PM

Best of 1 format, 30 minute matches, age divisions honored as much as possible based on participation. Deck lists are required, and must be submitted by 2:30 PM. Late and illegible deck lists may not be accepted. Prizes include packs, promos, and other Pokémon merchandise. Entry fee: $7.00

January Pokémon Day

Saturday, 1:00 PM

The ever-popular monthly Pokémon Day event is back with all of your favorite activities. See Pokémon Professor Jim to Learn To Play and for help building your new deck at 1:00, then hang around for everyone's favorite activity, Pokémon Bingo. Win packs, promos, and prizes! Remember, all players under 13 must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Entry fee: $10.

Pokémon League Casual Play

Monday and Saturday at 6:30 PM, Sunday at noon

Receive a pack of your choice from any in the store, as well as a promo pack. Participants are entered into the end-of-season prize pool. Entry fee: $10

Pokémon GO Scavenger Hunt

Grab an achievement sheet in-store and GO out to collect them! Complete the scavenger sheet to earn a booster pack and a promo pack, and to be entered into a drawing for an Elite Trainer Box and other prizes. Entry fee: $10 

GATHER FOR MAGIC

FNM: Foundations Draft

Friday, 6:00 PM

Draft a deck from Foundations packs and prove that you’re the best brewer and builder in Hilo. Entry fee: $22

Gam3Escape’s Monthly Commander Bingo

Saturday, 6:00 PM

Bring a Commander deck and try to score a BINGO. Players who bring a Foundations commander will receive an extra prize ticket.

Commonder-ish League

Thursday, 6:00 PM

Build a deck with only commons and uncommons (and a commander of any rarity) and play against other decks with the same restrictions! Can you break the board without breaking the bank? Entry fee: $10

Casual Commander

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 6:00 PM

The most popular format in Magic, Commander, is back on the table. Bring your favorite deck, or playtest a new one against other magicians. No entry fee: These battles are for honor, not prizes!

TIME TO DUEL! Yu-Gi-Oh!

SUDA Premier Advanced Constructed Tournament

Friday, 7:00 PM, Saturday, 2:00 PM

Celebrate the release of the newest Yu-Gi-Oh set, Supreme Darkness, with Gam3Escape. Earn SUDA packs, and compete for a special playmat and field center. One lucky participant will also receive a playmat and Field Center. Entry fee: $22.50

Advanced Constructed Tournament

Wednesday, 7:00 PM

Duel for supremacy in the Yu-Gi-Oh Trading Card Game. Earn booster packs and OTS Tournament Packs while demonstrating your skills as a duelist. Entry fee: $10

A WHOLE NEW WORLD

Azurite Sea Lorcana League

Monday, & Saturday, 6:30 PM

The adventures in the Inklands continue with Locana League. Bring your sealed deck, or join the fun! The initial entry fee includes a starter deck of your choice, a booster pack, and a 200-card deck box to keep your sealed cards from getting mixed up with your collection. Entry fee: $25 (one-time charge)

STAR WARS: UNLIMITED

Casual Play League

Tuesdays, 6:00 PM, Saturdays, 1:00 PM, Sundays 5:00 PM

Whether you’re an aspiring Jedi, a sinister Sith, or a bounty hunter looking for your next score, Star Wars: Unlimited has all the excitement of your favorite space opera in cardboard form. 

THIS MEANS WAR(HAMMER)!

Casual Warhammer

Friday & Sunday, 5:00 PM

In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war. At Gam3Escape, there is only Warhammer! Whether it’s a Tyranid terror or a Blood Angel battalion, stage your army and prepare for battle at the weekly Casual Warhammer event. 

CARDFIGHT! VANGUARD!

Divinez Constructed Tournament

Monday, 5:30 PM

Bring your cards and get ready to fight! Cardfight! Vanguard is back with weekly tournaments, every Monday night. Entry fee: $6

Check out Jim's articles at The Gamer: https://www.thegamer.com/author/james-ziegler/ and like, follow, and subscribe to his Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Alolan_Professor